Friday, November 6, 2015

You can’t always control what goes on outside. But you can always control what goes on inside.

Another week with my teacup humans. It is hard to believe that it is November and next month I will be home visiting for the holidays! It finally is starting to cool down and not be as humid. In the mornings when we get onto the bus it is in the 70s and it is so nice out. I never thought I would be comfortable in long sleeves in the 70s and 80s. It will definitely be interesting getting off that plane in Philly in December.

Personally it was a tough week for me at times. There were some days where the waves of homesickness were really starting to hit me. Some of the school days just seemed so long and at the end of the day I just wanted to see my mom and sisters and give them a big hug. Plus on top of the stress of it being my first full time teaching job. I just have to keep working on my confidence and remind myself that I am doing the best I can. Sometimes I get so caught up planning for the next week or focusing on what I am doing with the kids for the next day. I have to remind myself to live in the moment and take the time to appreciate what is going well. One thing my mom kept repeating when we were Skyping was "give yourself some credit." And I may be biased but she is so unbelievably right. I cannot keep being so critical of myself and focusing on things that I need to work on or things that went wrong. I am way out of my comfort zone and need to celebrate my accomplishments so far! Positivity is key.

I posted this in an earlier entry but it is always a good to reflect on. Words are powerful. 
And a healthy work-life balance is key too. Terry our Head of School has told us that from the beginning. How will the kids be happy in our classrooms if we are not happy? Last night I went back to the St. Regis and it actually was reggae night! The atmosphere was very relaxed and low key, which was exactly what I needed at the end of the school week.

We be jammin'
My little furry friend! I kept trying to lure him/her over but it kept
getting scared and running away. But it was hanging around my lounge
chair! It must've detected my inner crazy cat lady and felt right at home!

Last weekend I went to the Paralympics with some of my GEMS ladies and that was really cool to watch. It is incredible how much people with physical disabilities like paraplegics can do despite their disabilities. It made me feel lazy and want to run around or something! Afterwards they had an area with tents and stuff with different food and activities for people to try. I had waffles and they were amazing. The lady looked at me weirdly though when I kept asking her for more and more syrup. It is rare for me to have pancakes or waffles because I have not seen syrup in any of the stores. I think they have it at Mega Mart but I heard it is a little pricy. One of these days I will get to Ric's Kountry Kitchen because I have heard great things. Real authentic American breakfast food! I have been craving an omelette for weeks. Then after watching the Paralympics I went out to a couple of the different hotels, one of them being Kempinski. It is the tallest building in Doha and we were on the 61st floor... the view was amazing!

The 2015 Paralympics in Doha
View of Doha from 61 floors up at the Kempinski hotel
Doha looks so cool lit up at night. 
School wise the kids have been great. Even though some days are tougher than others you just have to look at each day as a clean slate and start fresh. Some of them have given me pictures or different gifts because they are so sweet and thoughtful.

Homemade gifts really are the best. And they are so sweet and innocent at this age you know their gifts are sincere!

One girl told me she would have a nice surprise for me the next day.
I definitely did not expect flowers! Do you like my classy vase? 
A spider! With green googly eyes because the kids know my favorite color is green. Seriously I wish knowing my favorite color was part of the Common Core Standards because the kids every day when they see the color green anywhere go "Look Miss Kellie! It's your favorite color!" I would love to know where she got the googly eyes from. Some arts and crafts supplies are difficult to find here. Even things basic like construction paper or cardstock. 
Today I went to brunch with my roommate Nicole and some of the other GEMS teachers. It was at the Sheraton which is one of the oldest hotels in Doha, and by "old" I mean it is 30 years old. It was delicious Italian food that hit the spot. Much different than the Marriott which is the only other hotel I have been to for brunch. At the Marriott there was a ridiculous amount of choices. Every single type of food you could think of was there. I liked that the choices were a little more limited at the Sheraton because then I wasn't overwhelmed by the choices.

Some snapshots from the brunch at the Sheraton. Brunch is a long affair! They are usually about 4 hours long so we were there from 12:30-4:30. The key is to pace yourself. Plus it is good to explore and enjoy the view to pass some of the time. 
Again I just cannot emphasize enough how grateful I am for this opportunity. I never thought I would be teaching in Qatar. All I can do is continue to embrace each day and keep taking it one day at a time.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Kellie,
    I'm so proud to you and each time I read your blog, I think what an amazing person you are! All of these opportunities will pave the way for success in your future. Hooray for you!
    Love, Aunt Roxanne

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  2. Ok, I have to fix the typo; I'm so proud of you! See, even at 57, we still learn. Note to self; proof read before publishing!

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